For today’s lecture we were presented with a special guest, ex student Jeremy Bowtell, to elaborate on the importance of editing in media as well as the effects that it can have. Taking the lead, Jeremy delineated the importance of both timing and juxtaposition to be vital in our viewing and consumption of film, as it shapes how we consume it. To give an example of this, we were shown Martin Scorsese’s ‘Casino’ scene of ‘Sam meets Ginger’. Within a minute of footage and with not one word spoken between the two characters, Scorsese, with rhythmic editing and juxtaposing POV shots, was able to set up the beginning of a love story between the two characters.
During Jeremy’s presentation we too delved into the history of editing, showing the importance of its creation and crafting of form in the early 20th century, such as with Dziga Vertov’s ‘The Man With the Movie Camera’, and how simple shots of everyday with juxtaposing imagery were used to create meaning.
“Never cut a shot without a positive reason” – Edward Dmytryk.
Handing the mic back to the wonderful Mr. Morris, the class was asked the question of the week; “what is media?”. Having previously not thought on the matter much, many of us, myself included, had only thought of media in a simple sense, thinking it to be only what we choose to expose ourselves to or utilize, and even then, merely a form of entertainment and gaining information. Upon further discussion, we had discovered it to be so much more than that. Media is rooted into the core of our social lives. with it becoming ever more prevalent over the last century, media has almost become the very foundation of human inter-connectivity. Conjoining art, politics and culture, it has allowed individuals as well as groups voice their opinions and help shape the society we live in. Dominating the modern world, media is not an object nor “a ‘thing’ out there’, it has become a place in which we inhabit. Reporting on various local events and issues through several texts/forms, media has brought people close together through the creating of a sense of communal belonging; exposing thousands to the same stories and news to make them feel as one.
To give a demonstration of this we were then sent out in groups of 5 to explore our allocated area of the city with fresh eyes, taking in the overwhelming presence on media in our day to day lives, as well as the extent which businesses and individuals will go to to entice people to buy their products via the use of media, as well as to witness just how much we see/use it in our day to day lives.
To do so, we were given a list to fill in the placements of forms of media we saw.
MELBOURNE CENTRAL
UP HIGH:
Billboards – gigantic in size,
hanging LED screens – smaller than the billboard, though emitting light thus drawing focus
ceiling art – interactive cloud feature – alluring
Brands/logos
Giant Clock – plays Waltzing Matilda – appeal to patriotism
ON THE GROUND:
Floor aesthetics/branding
brand/logo projections (mimco)
MID-GROUND:
mannequins – wearing labels
sale signs
product adverts
BACKGROUND:
Music – sponsored and draws people in
(scent – product/store memory association)
lighting
FOREGROUND
worker’s dress code – wearing labels/company merchandise
shop windows advertisements
Screens – emit light and draw focus
use of colour – psychological association to emotion
interactive screens – Usain Bolt Optus ad – pose for shoelaces.
IN YOUR HAND:
phone – time, messages, social media, take pictures.
#TooMuchWriting.